One hundred years ago
GREAT complaints are made at Hast- ings of the wild and lawless conduct of the boys in the Board schools there, especially out of school. During last week, no less than eight boys were brought before the Borough Magis- trates for petty crimes, their age ranging from sixteen to eight, only three of the eight being over thirteen years of age. It is said that they are a real terror to the town, that their parents are afraid of them, and that even in school the masters complain that they have little authority, because they are not permit- ted to punish them properly for their bad behaviour. It is quite necessary, we think, to limit the power of flogging to the head-master, but the head-master certainly ought not to shrink from using it in the case of boys who are as brutal and reckless as some of the childish criminals of Hastings. What "Solomon said with accents mild" was certainly wisely said so far as regards young ruffians of the class who garotte their schoolfellows to rob them, plunder shop-tills, and steal fruit.
The Spectator, 30 August 1890
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